Telluride — Telluride Town Council members have voted 6-1 to call for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

If the measure survives a second reading Aug. 7, it would become the town’s official position.

Community leaders said they had endured criticism from near and far following last week’s vote, but at least one council member said that was because people do not understand the town’s home-rule municipality.

Andrea Benda said the town has two choices whenever citizens initiate an ordinance: adopt it, or put it on the ballot.

With liberal voters outnumbering conservatives 5-to-1 in Telluride, Benda said she did not think it was necessary for the impeachment issue to become part of local campaigning this fall.

In this article, as originally posted, the Associated Press erroneously attributed a statement to Tourism Board executive Scott McQuade. It was Town Council member Andrea Benda who stated that people who don’t approve of Telluride the way it is might want to stay away so they don’t end up being disappointed.

Last month, Denver’s Department of Safety fired a deputy sheriff for using racial slurs and harassing inmates and a police sergeant for drinking while in uniform and abandoning a post to have sex with a woman.

A wedding and special events’ planning business has agreed to pay a $200,000 settlement to five employees living in the country illegally after allegedly failing to pay them minimum wages and overtime and discriminating against them because of their race.